New Car: 2013 Chevrolet Traverse

GM’s full-size crossover quadruplets—the Chevrolet Traverse, the GMC Acadia, the Buick Enclave, and the now-deceased Saturn Outlook—were fairly well received when they were first launched. GM’s three surviving eight-passenger utes are getting much-needed midcycle updates for 2013, and Chevrolet has now released details on its freshened Traverse.

The 2013 Traverse hits the show stand brandishing a bold new nose and a tightened-up rear end with new taillamps and relocated license plate surround. As seen in a recent teaser, the interior is considerably upgraded as well. Soft-touch surfaces on the instrument panel and upper front-door panels, contrasting stitching, and chrome and silver accents dress up the leather- or cloth-trimmed cabin, which is available in all-black or one of two dual-tone color schemes. Newly available on some models are blue ambient lighting and Chevy’s new MyLink infotainment system.

Despite the upgrades on the inside, the Traverse won’t get any quicker, however, as the current 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine delivers the same none-too-powerful 281 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque in the refreshed model. The six-speed automatic transmission, however, receives both hardware and software tweaks in order to provide more decisive shifts and to maintain fuel-economy numbers of 17 mpg city/24 highway in front-wheel-drive models, and 16/23 in all-wheel-drivers.